Data Engineer - AWS/Databricks

Acuity, Inc.; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Acuity, Inc. is seeking a highly skilled Data Engineer to join our Engineering Team, focusing on AWS cloud-scale data platforms for federal clients.

You will design, build, and optimize Spark-based pipelines and Delta Lake tables to support ingestion, transformation, and analytics across large datasets. You will collaborate with data architects to implement cloud-native solutions on AWS, ensure data governance, and drive modernization initiatives.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in data engineering and Agile analytics.
• 2+ years of experience creating software for retrieving, parsing and processing structured and unstructured data.
• 1 to 2 years experience building scalable ETL and ELT workflows for reporting and analytics.
• 1 or more years experience building enterprise data engineering solutions in the cloud, with preferred experience with cloud native technologies from AWS and Databricks.
• BA or BS degree

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain scalable PySpark-based data pipelines in Databricks notebooks to support ingestion, transformation, and enrichment of structured and semi-structured data.
• Design and implement Delta Lake tables optimized for ACID compliance, partition pruning, schema enforcement, and query performance across large datasets.
• Develop ETL and ELT workflows that integrate multiple source systems into a centralized, query-optimized data warehouse architecture.
• Leverage Spark SQL and DataFrame APIs to implement business rules, dimensional joins, and aggregation logic aligned to warehouse modeling best practices.
• Collaborate with data architects and engineers to implement cloud-native data solutions on AWS using S3, Glue, RDS, and IAM for secure, scalable storage and access control.
• Monitor pipeline health, job execution, and cluster utilization using native Databricks tools and AWS CloudWatch, identifying bottlenecks and optimizing cost-performance tradeoffs.
• Deploy and version data engineering assets using Git-integrated development workflows and automate deployment with CI/CD tools such as GitLab or Jenkins.
• Conduct technical discovery and mapping of legacy source systems, identifying required transformations and designing end-to-end data flows.
• Implement governance practices including metadata tagging, data quality validation, audit logging, and lineage tracking using platform-native features and custom logic.

Skills

Spark

Delta Lake

Data engineering

Agile analytics

Cloud data pipelines

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Databricks

AWS

Job description

Overview

Acuity Inc. is seeking a highly skilled Data Engineer to join our Engineering Team, helping drive the design and delivery of AWS cloud-scale data platforms for federal clients. This role requires knowledge and/or experience with Spark, Delta Lake, and distributed data pipelines on Databricks. The ideal candidate brings both engineering and strategic insight into enterprise data modernization.

Overview

Acuity Inc. is seeking a highly skilled Data Engineer to join our Engineering Team, helping drive the design and delivery of AWS cloud-scale data platforms for federal clients. This role requires knowledge and/or experience with Spark, Delta Lake, and distributed data pipelines on Databricks. The ideal candidate brings both engineering and strategic insight into enterprise data modernization. Are you ready to use your expertise in the areas of IT Modernization, Data Enablement, and Hyperautomation to make a real difference? Join Acuity, Inc., a technology consulting firm that supports federal agencies. We combine industry partnerships and long-term federal experience with innovative technical leadership to support our customers’ critical missions.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain scalable PySpark-based data pipelines in Databricks notebooks to support ingestion, transformation, and enrichment of structured and semi-structured data.
• Design and implement Delta Lake tables optimized for ACID compliance, partition pruning, schema enforcement, and query performance across large datasets.
• Develop ETL and ELT workflows that integrate multiple source systems into a centralized, query-optimized data warehouse architecture.
• Leverage Spark SQL and DataFrame APIs to implement business rules, dimensional joins, and aggregation logic aligned to warehouse modeling best practices.
• Collaborate with data architects and engineers to implement cloud-native data solutions on AWS using S3, Glue, RDS, and IAM for secure, scalable storage and access control.
• Optimize pipeline performance through intelligent partitioning, caching, broadcast joins, and adaptive query tuning.
• Deploy and version data engineering assets using Git-integrated development workflows and automate deployment with CI/CD tools such as GitLab or Jenkins.
• Monitor pipeline health, job execution, and cluster utilization using native Databricks tools and AWS CloudWatch, identifying bottlenecks and optimizing cost-performance tradeoffs.
• Conduct technical discovery and mapping of legacy source systems, identifying required transformations and designing end-to-end data flows.
• Implement governance practices including metadata tagging, data quality validation, audit logging, and lineage tracking using platform-native features and custom logic.
• Support ad hoc data access requests, develop reusable data assets, and maintain shared notebooks that meet operational reporting and analytics needs across teams.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in data engineering and Agile analytics
• 2+ years of experience creating software for retrieving, parsing and processing structured and unstructured data
• 1 to 2 years of experience building scalable ETL and ELT workflows for reporting and analytics
• 1 or more years experience building enterprise data engineering solutions in the cloud, with preferred experience with cloud native technologies from AWS and Databricks
• Experience with data quality, validation frameworks, and storage optimization strategies
• BA or BS degree

Clearance Requirement

• Must be US Citizen with an ability to obtain and maintain US Suitability

About Acuity

At Acuity, your work matters and so does your experience. We’re a management and technology consulting firm supporting critical federal missions, where you’ll have the opportunity to solve meaningful challenges, work alongside high-performing teams, and make a real impact from day one.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

Grow Your Career, Your Way

We invest in you with personalized development plans, mentorship, and up to $3,000 annually for training and certifications and up to $3,000 for degree seeking programs so you can keep building the career you want.

Be Part of Something Innovative

You’ll work on cutting-edge solutions that support important government missions, in an environment that encourages new ideas and continuous improvement.

Thrive in a People-First Culture

Collaboration, respect, and support aren’t just values—they’re how we operate. Your voice is heard, your contributions are recognized, and your success is shared.

Feel Valued and Rewarded

We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a strong focus on work-life balance so you can perform at your best - at work and at home.

Join an Award-Winning Team

Our employees consistently rank us among the best - earning honors like Best Places to Work (Washington Business Journal, 9+ years) and Top Workplaces (The Washington Post, 2022–2025).

Bring Your Whole Self To Work

We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Make Your Impact

Join Acuity and be part of a team where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your work drives meaningful outcomes.

Learn more: www.myacuity.com

Acuity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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